10 Ultimate Vantage Spots to Watch Sydney NYE Fireworks

Thursday, December 20th, 2018 | By Danielle Hatch

Looking for the ultimate spot to see the fireworks this new year’s eve? Today, Laura and the lovely team at Q Station, Manly are sharing all the juice on the best vantage points in Sydney.

New Year’s Eve is the ultimate celebration of the year. No matter how 2018 has panned out for you, there is no better way to see 2018 on its way and celebrate the ‘clean slate’ potential that New Year 2019 brings than by watching the Sydney New Year 2018 Fireworks over beautiful Sydney Harbour.

Sydney’s New Year’s Eve delivers one of the biggest celebrations of the year where you can see the night sky light up with the most spectacular fireworks displays. If you are planning on celebrating the New Year in Sydney, we have compiled 10 Ultimate Vantage Spots to watch Sydney’s NYC fireworks!

1. The Hospital Precinct, North Head Manly

The Hospital Precinct, situated on the headland above Quarantine Wharf, with amazing views of South Head, the CBD, Balmoral and Manly, this venue offers the most incredible vantage point to watch the Sydney Fireworks 2018 without the crowds. On offer at the Q Station are two incredible Sydney New Year’s Eve packages to choose from. A six-course degustation dinner at Boilerhouse Restaurant & Bar along with a 3-hour drinks package, or their famous seafood buffet at the P27 Governor Bourke Ballroom. At 10:30 pm the celebration continues with drinks available for purchase at the Hospital bar as you move to the Hospital Precinct to countdown the New Year! Stay the night so you can celebrate until after midnight, avoid the taxi cue in the early hours and enjoy the best start to 2019!

2. Sydney Opera House

If you don’t mind the crowds, celebrating New Year’s Eve at the iconic Sydney Opera House will see you right in the heart of the action. Offering views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour, and directly above the Opera House you will enjoy incredible views of the fireworks. The venues offer free entry opening to the public at 7:30am and with, over a million people anticipated to make their way into the city and surrounding areas to celebrate it pays to arrive early in the day and set up camp to secure your spot. The venue will fill up very quickly, expecting to reach capacity by mid-morning so you need to line up early for this one. Food and drinks can be purchased within the area.

3. Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour offers another incredible vantage point. Popular with families, this venue is one of the busiest places to be on NYE and becomes very crowded, housing up to 46,000 people. The venue opens from 7am so if you want a spot you will need to arrive early to secure a space on the grass. If you want to escape the crowds and still have direct access to 2018 NYE celebrations, you may want to book at one of the restaurants along the Harbour.

4. Observatory Hill Park

Located a 20-minute walk from Circular Quay, Observatory Hill offers a birds-eye view of the fireworks over the western side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Opening at midday it’s a free venue to watch the fireworks spectacular and it brings in the crowds, filling up early. So, pack a picnic with enough food to last you the entire afternoon through to the evening and roll out your picnic blanket early to get the best vantage point possible, making sure to avoid the large trees in the park from blocking your view.

5. Kangaroo Reserve

Nestled between Darling Harbour and Circular Quay, Barangaroo Reserve offers one of Sydney’s2018 New Years Eve events with panoramic views of the western face of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, perfect viewing for the fireworks. The sloping lawns are a great place to place your picnic blanket and you can either decide to bring your own picnic or pre-purchase a selection of hampers and drinks which you can collect on the night. The event opens at 6 pm with 10,000 tickets available for pre-purchase to celebrate your Sydney New Year’s Eve party.

6. Bradleys Head

Bradley’s Head on Sydney’s north shore has 3 top spots to view the fireworks on New Year’s Eve including The Amphitheatre, The Mast Precinct and Athol Lawn. All 3 events are ticketed and start at 3 pm with a variety of food and drink options available for purchase and live music, depending on the venue. It’s important to note that the tickets don’t allow you to enter the other venues unless you have paid for access so it’s important to do your homework to see which option suits you the best. Whichever you decide it, the fireworks from Bradley’s Head are sure to impress.

7. Bradfield Park

With views of the eastern and western sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bradfield Park is a popular site for families that can accommodate up to 35,000 people. As a free venue to watch the NYE fireworks, it is a good idea to plan for an early arrival. As soon as the gates open at 8am as it has the potential to reach full capacity quickly, and if you are travelling as a group be certain to arrive together as finding your friends within the celebratory chaos will be difficult. Food and drinks available on the night.

8. Mrs Macquaries Point

Mrs Macquaries Point offers sublime views of Sydney’s NYE fireworks so it’s no wonder it attracts a lot of crowds. Located within the Royal Botanical Gardens, the area opens from 10am with a capacity of up to 16,000 people. Another event where you will need to arrive right on opening as maximum capacity is expected to be reached early. This venue doesn’t allow you to bring your own food and drinks, so you only need to pack your picnic blanket and you can purchase food and drinks at the event.

9. Pirrama Park

If you are looking for a free venue which gives you an awesome vantage point of the fireworks but where you can BYO your own food and alcoholic drinks, Pirrama Park is a great option. There is a lot of space and the venue can easily accommodate the crowd of around 8000 people that turn up each year to see the year in. The venue opens at 2pm so gather a group of friends and a comfy chair or picnic blanket and enjoy the night.

10. Robertson Park, Watsons Bay

Watsons Bay located on the southern head of the entrance to Sydney Harbour leads you away from the chaos and crowds filling Sydney Harbour and still offers a decent view of the fireworks. The best locations in Watson Bay to see the New Years Eve fireworks are Watsons Bay wharf or Roberston Park which both open up from midday. There is no food available and make sure to pack a picnic blanket and bring along a picnic or dine at one the many surrounding restaurants.